Earth scraper and digger



June 6, 1939. E. Q SMH-H EARTH SCRAPER AND BIGGER Filed May '7, 1958 2 Sheets-SheefI 1 @www Ea Sm Z'L 11111616, 1939. E Q SMH-H EARTH SCRAPER AND BIGGER Filed May '7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES rATENT oFFlcE 'EARTH SCRAPER AND BIGGER Earl o. smith, Marin, oreg. Application May 7, 1938, Serial No. 206,689

14 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to the class of earth working machinery and pertains particularly to an improved dirt scraper and digger,

The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved earth scraper and digger which is designed to be easily and effectively controlled by small tractors and to facilitate the raising and carrying of greater loads of earth by such tractors than would be possible with the useV of scraping machines of the type at present employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved earth scraper which is designed to lift and carry loads of earth upon a Wheeled carrier, the operation of cutting loose the earth and raising it into the wheeled carrier being performed by the one apparatus as the same is drawn over the 'earth by the draft machine.

stm another object of the invention is to provide in an earth digger and scraper machine of the above described character, a novel scraping blade mounting and control means for the blade whereby the latter may be projected or retracted as desired, for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the quantity of earth taken up and for the purpose of dumping a load when desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel earth scraper and carrier machine employing a shiftable scraping blade which is adapted tobe projected forwardly or retracted, in which the projecting and retracting means is power-operated and adapted to be coupled with a power take-olf forming a part of a draft machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel earth scraper and digger having a partially closed body in which the lower or bottom wall constitutes the scraping or digging blade and in which the body is so constructed that the earth will be automatically carried thereinto for transportation thereby as the said blade cuts and lifts the earth which is to be removed.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings formed part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as lsuch changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a View in horizontal section through the earth scraper embodying the present invention, the section being substantially upon the line I-I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the machine showing the operating mechanism for 5 the retractible scraper blade;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view upon an enlarged scale taken-substantially upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig, 4 is a detailed view illustrating a shaft brake and control means therefor;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--75 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral I generally designates a supporting frame for the scraper mechanism. This 15 frame is preferably of channel iron material and it extends completely around the body of the scraper machine and is, therefore, substantially rectangular in contour, having the two side portions 2, the transverse front portion 3, the center 20 of which is offset as indicated at 4, for facilitating the engagement of a hitch unit therewith, as hereinafter described, and the transverse rear portion 5.

While any suitable means may be connected z5 with the forwardly offset part of the front rail 3 of the frame for facilitating the attachment of the device to a tractor, there is here shown a vertical pivot pin 6 which extends through the lianges of the channel material and which car- 30 ries on its lower end the forwardly extending tongue 'I which terminates in the attaching eye 8'.

At the rear 0f the machine there are secured to the rear ends of the side rails 2 of the frame, the rearwardly extending arms 9, each of which 35 carries a bearing I0. Extending through and supported by the bearings I0 is an axle I I on each end of which is a ground engaging wheel I2 having a relatively broad or wide tread, as illustrated.

Within the frame unit I is secured the body of 40 the apparatus which is indicated as a whole by the numeral I3 and which comprises the vertically arranged forwardly and rearwardly extending side walls I4, each of which is secured to a side rail 2 of the frame and each of which has the 45 rearwardly and upwardly inclined lower edge I5 which toward the front of the machine merges into the edge portion I6 which substantially parallels vthe ground surface, Efach of the side walls I4 of the body has a substantially V-shaped 50 cut formed therein which provides the extension tongue portion I'I, which is secured as shown, to a portion of the side rail of the machine frame. Above this cut out area, each side Wall has its rear edge rounded and connecting the side Walls 55 and following the contour of these rounded edges is the back wall I8, the lower edge of which terminates adjacent the crotches of the V-cuts in the side walls while the top part of the back wall is extended forwardly for approximately onethird the length of the body structure, as indicated at I9.

Secured to the inner side of each side wall lli on an upwardly and rearwardly inclined line is a series of inwardly extending bearing pins 20, each of which carries a roller 2| and supported at its edges upon these rollers is the relatively long blade 22, the forward edge of which is sharpened to provide an earth cutting means, as indcated at 23, while the rear of the blade extends beyond and beneath the lower edge of the curved back wall i8 of the body, as indicated at 24. A slight clearance is maintained between this forwardly directed lower edge of the back wall i3 and the top surface of the blade 22 so that free longitudinal movement-of the blade is permitted, the blade riding upon the side supporting rollers, as illustrated. It will thus be seen that the blade 22 not only constitutes a means for digging into or scraping the surface of the earth but it also constitutes a bottom or floor for the body of the scraper structure.

Adjacent the rear of the body, the side rails of the frame have secured thereto and support bearings 25 which support a driven shaft 25 which extends transversely of the machine as shown, and which carries upon each end outside of the width of the frame, a relatively large sprocket gear 2T. In the area between the side walls I4 of the body, the driven shaft 26 carries two gears 28 and each of these gears has passing thereover and resting thereon in toothed engagement therewith, a toothed rack 29, the forward end of which is pivotally secured to the underside of the blade 22 between spaced ears 30 which are carried by the blade.

Upon the top of the wall I9 at substantially the longitudinal center of the machine and above the shaft 26, there is mounted a housing SI, the side walls of which are constructed to form bearings 32 for the stub shafts 33 and the forwardly directed wall of this housing has a bearing 34 through which passes the short pinion shaft 35. Within the housing is a double drive mechanism comprising the two beveled gears 55, each of which is keyed to a stub shaft 33 and a lpinion gear 31 which is keyed to the pinion gear shaft 35 and which is in toothed engagement with and connects between the beveled gears 26 in the manner shown.

The pinion shaft 35 is connected through the medium of a universal coupling 3 8 with a drive shaft 39, which is designed to be connected with a .power take-off (not shown) of a tractor or the power mechanism Yemployed for holding the At each side of the gear housing 3i, the top wall I9 supports two alined bearings 49 and 4I and between each of these pair of bearings is supported a drive shaft 32, thevouter end of which carries a sprocket gear 43 which is connected by the sprocket chain 44 with the underlying sprocket gear 1V2'I carried bythe shaft 26. lAt the inner end of each drive shaft i2 is a clutch unit indicatedgenerallyby the numeral 45 and comprising inthe .form'here illustrated, the two friction disks 46 `andlll, the disk 46 being secured Yto a stub shaft 33 while the .disk 41 is mounted for sliding movement on the vadjacent shaft 42, so

`that itmaybe moved into or out of lengagement with the adjacent disk. Each of the movable disks of the clutch unit has formed integrally with its outer face the grooved collar 43 for engagement by the fingers of a clutch shifting fork te, and each of these forks is carried by an arm 55, which is pivotally supported upon a suitable rigid supporting bracket such as is indicated by the numeral 5I. These arms 50 when oscillated in one direction will engage the adjacent clutch disks so as to couple up the associate drive shaft 42 with the power take-off shaft 39, and thus effect through the medium of the sprocket chain M, the driven shaft 25 and gears23 and the racks 29, the movement of the earth scraping blade 22 in a desired direction.

'Ihe shaft l2 which, when rotated by a gear of the double drive mechanism, effects the retraction of the blade 22, carries a brake drum 52 and encircling the drum 52 is a brake band 53 which has the usual spaced ears 54 and 55. This band is supported from the top I9 of the back wall by the two upstanding arms 56, the upper ends of which are connected to the band by a suitable plate 51.

The ears of the brake band are connected by a bolt 58, the head of which is directed downwardly and secured in the ear 54, while the threaded lend extends upwardly through the ear 55 and carries an adjusting nut-59 between which and the adjacent ear 55 is an expansion spring 60. Thus, it will be seen that this spring constantly operates or Ytends to .contact the brake band on the drum.

Pivotally mounted upon a suitable support such, for example, as Vthe adjacent bearing 40 is a bell crank lever 6I, one arm of which extends vertically, as indicated at 62, while the other arm extends horizontally as at 63, and carries a pin 54 which engages between the .ears 5d and 55, contacting the underside of the movable ear 55 with which the spring 69 engages.

Eachof the friction clutch operating levers 59 has an extension 50' which -is directed forwardly `to a point convenient for theoperator of the machine to enable him to actuate eitherof the levers f 50 for the control of the adjacent clutches. Each of these extensions 5 0 has connected thereto a chain section 65 and these are joined together and connect with anend of the brake operating chain 6.6 which has its other end attached to the free end of the upstanding arm 62 of the bell crank lever 6 I. Adjacent the point of connection between the chain section 65 and the 4chain v66, a pulley 6T engages which is mounted upon the gear casing 3| in the manner-shown. With this arrangement, it will be readily apparent that when either of the levers 5E! `is oscillated to engage the clutch connected therewith, a pull will be lexerted upon the chain 6E to oscillate the bell crank 6I and effect the release of the brake band 53 from the drum 52.

In the operation of the earth scraper and digger, the latter is lcoupled toy a tractor and the power take-off shaft 39 is connected with the tractor power take-off connection as previously explained, s0 that while the tractor and the earth scraper are in operation, the gears 36 will be constantly rotating as will the disks 46 also. When it is desired to extend the cutting edge of the -blade 22 for the purpose of digging into and picking up earth, the clutch remote from the brake will be engaged and this will effect the turning of the drive shaft at the -side of the machine remote from the brake in a direction to turn the driven shaft 26 in a counter-clockwise direction and thus impart a forward thrust to the toothed racks 29. Upon the engagement of the other friction clutch, a clockwise rotation will be imparted to the driven shaft 26 and this will retract the toothed racks 29 and the blade 22. It will be noted that by reason of the connection of thechains and with the clutch actuating levers 50, the closing or engagement of either clutch will effect the disengagement of the other clutch automatically. When either clutch is engaged by the actuation of the lever 50 coupledtherewith, the chain 66 will be pulled and the band ears will be separated as previously stated, thus freeing the drum and permitting the drive mechanism to rotate, in a clockwise direction, the shaft 42 on which the drum 52 is carried so as to effect the drawing back of the blade 22. By providing the brake mechanism described, the shaft 42 upon which the drum is mounted and alsoV the shaft 26 which is driven from the power mechanism, will be secured against movement when the clutches are disengaged, so that when the cutting edge of the blade 22 is being forced into the earth, backward movement of the blade cannot occur.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the mechanism herein disclosed may be effectively employed for scraping or digging earth and will operate to pick up the dug earth and house it in the enclosed rear part of the body for transportation to a desired location whereupon it may be readily discharged by causing the backward movement of the cutting blade 22 through the medium of the power mechanism described. It will also be readily recognized that by reason of the power control means for advancing or retracting the blade, the latter may be made to merely scrape the surface of the earth` or to cut into the earth to any desired depth between the surface and the maximum to which the blade may be extended.

What is claimed is: y

1. An earth digger land scraper of the char- Yacter described,l comprising a body structure adapted to be drawn over the ground and having side walls and an open front, a ground engaging blade supported in the lower part of the body structure between said walls and having a forwardly directed cutting edge, the blade forming the bottom of the body and having a rearward and upward inclination, and means for shifting said blade forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the body for regulating the depth of penetration of the cutting edge into the earth, the lower edges of the side walls contacting the earth when the blade is at maximum penetration.

2. An earth digger and ,scraper of the character described, comprising a body structure adapted to be drawn over the ground and having an open front side, a ground engaging blade supported in the lower part of the body structure and having a forwardly directed cutting edge, the blade having a rearward and upward inclination, and means for shifting said blade forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the body for regulating the depth of penetration of the cutting edge into the earth, said blade being of a length substantially equal to the length of said body and constituting a floor for the body and having a width substantially equal to the interior width of the body.

3. A scraping and digging machine of the character described, comprising a body having vertically disposed side walls and a back wall connecting the side walls, said body being open at its front, wheel supporting means for the rear of the body, means at the front of the body for attaching the same to a draft vehicle, an earth working blade disposed between said side walls in the lower part of the body and having an upward and rearward inclination, the forward edge of the blade being sharpened for contact with the earth, supporting means for said blade facilitating its longitudinal movement between the bodx7 side walls, and means for elfecting forward or rearward longitudinal movement of the blade for engagement of said edge with the earth, the blade being adapted to be moved rearwardly to a point where said edge will be above the lower edges of the body side walls.

4. A scraping and digging machine of the character described, comprising a body having vertically disposed side walls and a back wall connecting the side walls, said body being open at its front, wheel supporting means for the rear of the body, means at the front of the body for attaching the same to a draft vehicle, an earth working blade disposed between said side walls in the lower part of the body and having an upward and rearward inclination, the forward edge of the blade being sharpened for contact with the: earth, supporting means for said blade facilitating its longitudinal movement between the body side walls, and means for effecting forward or rearward longitudinal movement of the blade for engagement of said edge with the earth, the blade being disposed to move across in relatively close proximity to the lower edge of said back wall and forming with the back and side walls a bottom wall for the body, .and said blade being retractible to a position where the said cutting edge will be disposed above the lower edges of said side walls.

5. A scraping and digging machine of the character described, comprising a body having spaced side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, said rear wall being curved to direct its lower edge forwardly, the body being open at the end opposite the rear wall, a plurality of rollers mounted upon the inner sides of said side walls, a bottom wall for the body supported at opposite edges upon said rollers and extending at its rear beneath and in close proximity to the said forwardly directed edge of the rear wall, said bottom wall being forwardly and downwardly inclined and having its forward edge sharpened to provide a cutting blade, gear means disposed beneath said bottom .wall to rotate upon an axis extending transversely of the body, means for establishing toothed connection between said gear means and said bottom wall, means for effecting rotation of said gear means, wheel supporting means for the body, and means facilitating the movement of the body over the ground on said supporting wheels.

6. An earth scraping and digging machine designed for attachment to a draft vehicle having a power take-off mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, an earth engaging blade disposed between said side walls and constituting a bottom for the body, said blade having a forward and downward inclination and terminating in a cutting edge, ground engaging supporting wheels for the rear of the body, means at the front of the body for attaching it to said draft vehicle, supporting means for said blade facilitating its longitudinal movement, a shaft disposed transversely of the body beneath the rear of said blade, a rack and pinion connection between saidshaft and blade, a double drive mechanism carried' by the body and adapted to be coupled ,with said power take-off mechanism, power transmitting means between said double drive mechanism and said shaft, and means forming a part of said power transmitting means facilitating the clockwise or counterclockwise turning of said shaft from said double drive mechanism.

7. An earth scraping and digging machine designed for attachment to a draft vehicle having a power take-ofi mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, an earth engaging blade disposed between said side walls and constituting a bottom for the body, said blade having a forward and downward inclination and terminating in a cutting edge, ground engaging supporting wheels for the rear of the body, means at the front of the body for attaching it to said draft vehicle, supporting means for said blade facilitating its longitudinal movement, a shaft disposed transversely of the body beneath the rear of said blade, a rack and pinion connection between said shaft and blade, a double drive mechanism carried by the body and adapted to be coupled with said power take-off mechanism, power transmitting means between said double drive mechanism and said shaft, means forming a part of said power transmitting means facilitating the clockwise or counter-clockwise turning of said shaft from said double drive mechanism, and brake means for preventing the turning of said shaft upon the application of a thrust to the cutting edge of said blade tending to move the blade rearwardly.

8. A scraping and digging machine adapted to be connected with a draft vehicle having a power take-oli mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, said body being open at its front, means facilitating the attachment of the front of the body to said vehicle, wheel supporting means for the rear of the body, a bottom for said body constituting a cutting blade which is disposed between said side walls to extend forwardly at a downward inclination, the rear of said bottom extending across and in close proximity to the lower edge of said rear wall, supporting rollers for the longitudinal edges of said bottom wall carried by said side walls, a shaft disposed transversely of said bottom at the rear thereof, a rack carried by the bottom, a gear carried by the shaft and having the rack in engagement therewith, a power transmission mechanism carried by the body and including a pair of shafts disposed in alinement above said first shaft, gear means adapted to be coupled with said power take-off mechanism and interposed between the ends of said alined shafts and a clutch unit at each side of said gear mechanism for selectively coupling the gear mechanism with the alined shafts, and a driving connection between each of the pairs of alined shafts and said firstmentioned shaft.

9. A scraping and digging machine adapted to be connected with a draft vehicle having a power take-off mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, said body being open at v its front, means facilitating the attachment of the front of the body to said vehicle, wheel supporting means for the rear of the body, a bottom for said body constituting a cutting blade which is disposed between said side walls to extend forwardly at a downward inclination, the rear of said bottom extending across and in close'proximity to the lower edge of said rear wall, supporting rollers for the longitudinal edges of said bottom wall carried by said side walls, a shaft disposed transversely of said bottom at the rear thereof, a rack carried by the bottom, a gear carried by the shaft and having the rack in engagement therewith, a power transmission mechanism carried by the body and including a pair of shafts disposed in alinement above said first shaft, gear means adapted to be coupled with said power take-off mechanism and interposed between the ends of said alined shafts and a clutch unit at each side of said gear mechanism for selectively coupling the gear mechanism with the alined shafts, a driving connection between each of the pair of alined shafts and said first-mentioned shaft, and a brake means for one of the pair of alined shafts for holding the same against rotation in one direction.

10. In an earth working machine having an earth engaging element adapted to be moved into and out of earth engaging position, a` power driven mechanism for controlling the movement of said earth engaging element, comprising a pair of driven shafts disposed in spaced alined relation, a power transmitting gear mechanism. interposed between the ends of said shafts, said gear mechanism including a pair of spaced beveled gears mounted upon independent stub shafts which are in alined relation one with the other and with said spaced driven shafts, a pinion gear between and connecting said beveled gears, means for transmitting power to the pinion gear to rotate the same and effect simultaneous opposite rotation of said beveled gears, a clutch unit between each of said stub shafts and the adjacent driven shaft and comprising two friction disks one of which is secured to a shaft while the other is movable on the adjacent shaft for frictional contact with the fixed disk, lever means for engaging or disengagingV said clutch units, coupling means between said lever means whereby the movement of one lever into clutch engaging position will effect the movement of the other lever to clutch disengaging position, and a driving connection between each of said first-mentioned shafts and said earth engaging element.

l1. An earth scraping and digging machine designed for attachment to a draft vehicle having a power takeoff mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, an earth engaging blade disposed between said side walls and constituting a bottom for the body, said blade being supported for longitudinal movement and at a forward and downward inclination and having its forward edge sharpened to form a penetrating blade, means facilitating the attachment of the body to a draft vehicle, a shaft disposed transversely of the body beneath the rear of the blade, a rack and pinion connection between said shaft and blade, and power operated means connected with said shaft and designed for operative connection with said take-off mechanism, which is so constructed and arranged that said shaft may be turned for selective forward and rearward driving movement for the blade.

l2. An earth scraping and digging machine designed for attachment to a draft vehicle having a power take-off mechanism, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear wall connecting the side walls, an earth engaging blade disposed between said side walls and constituting a bottom for the body, said blade being supported for longitudinal movement and at -a forward and downward inclination and having its forward edge sharpened to form a penetrating blade, means facilitating the attachment of the body to a draft vehicle, a shaft disposed transversely of the body beneath the rear of the blade, a rack and pinion connection between said shaft and blade, power operated means connected with said shaft and designed for operative connection with said take-off mechanism, which is so constructed and arranged that said shaft may be turned for selective forward and rearward driving movement for the blade, and means operating automatically to secure the blade against rearward mo-vement when said power means is inoperative.

13. An earth scraping'and digging machine ldesigned for attachment to a draft vehicle, comprising an earth receiving body having side walls and a rear connecting wall between the side walls, the end of the body opposite the rear wall being open, an earth engaging blade disposed between the side walls adjacent the lower edges thereof' and slidably supported for reciprocal movement and disposed at a forward and downward inclination, the forward edge of the blade terminating in a cutting edge and the blade constituting a bottom for the body and passing at its rear beneath said rear wall, a rack and gear mechanism connected with said blade, a double drive mechanism including two oppositely rotated units carried by the body and adapted to be driven by a suitable power mechanism, a pair of shafts each operatively coupled with said rack and gear mechanism, and means for selectively coupling said shafts with said double drive mechanism units for effecting the selective forward and rearward movement of said blade.

14. An earth scraping and digging machine, comprisinga wheel supported body having side walls and a rear connecting wall between the side walls, the end of the body opposite the rear wall being open and said side walls being arranged to have their lower edges contacting the ground at the forward ends of the wall, an earth engaging blade disposed at a forward and downward inclination between the side walls and terminating at its forward end in a cutting edge, means supporting said blade for reciprocal movement, the rear edge of the blade extending beneath said rear wall, a double drive mechanism including two oppositely rotated units carried by the body and including a driven shaft designed to facilitate the attachment of a power mechanism thereto, a pair of shafts disposed at opposite sides of the double drive mechanism units, clutch means for selectively coupling said shafts with the differential mechanism whereby said shafts may be selective-ly rotated in clockwise or counterclockwise direction, a driving connection between each shaft and said blade whereby movement may be transmitted from either shaft to the blade for selective movement of the latter forwardly orV rearwardly, clutch actuating mechanism for the clutch of each shaft, means coupling the clutch actuating mechanism of the shafts whereby operation of one clutch into engaging position will effect the automatic operation of the other clutch into disengaging position, and means operating automatically to hold said blade against rearward movement when the said clutches are inoperative,

EARL C. SMITH. 

